Benefits of Living in a Manufactured Home Community

FINANCIALLY SMART

Manufactured housing is one of the most affordable options for Americans to achieve the American dream of home ownership. New homes cost an average of $127,000, compared with $413,000 for a single-family site-built home.

There’s also more home for the buck: Manufactured homes often cost between 10-35% less per square foot to build than site-built homes, despite comparable interior finish-out. And, today’s new homes average over 1,400 square feet of interior space.

The median annual income for those who choose the option of a manufactured home is $34,700, but almost a quarter of all manufactured home owners have a media income of more than $50,000. With lower costs, manufactured home owners are able to save more than they would with a site-built home or by renting an apartment.

SENSE OF COMMUNITY

Living in a land-lease community, a homeowner can park by his or her own home.  There is a yard and outdoor space.  There are no shared walls.  Best of all, residents in a manufactured home community truly are part of a community.  In many communities, there are social or activity clubs, fitness amenities, and friendly and caring neighbors.  “Sense of belonging” is among the most frequent response about why residents enjoy living in a land-lease community.

SAFETY AND QUALITY

The Department of Housing & Urban Development has regulated and ensured standards for manufactured housing since 1976. All manufactured homes must meet this code. The performance code involves every aspect of the home including heating and air conditioning, fire safety, plumbing, electrical systems, structural design, construction, energy efficiency and even the transportation from factory to site. Today’s manufactured homes are built to a standard of safety comparable to, and in some cases exceeding, standards for site-built housing.

ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND

The construction of a manufactured home, from factory to finish can actually yield up to 90% less waste and environmental impact than site-built housing, owing to the efficiency of factory construction and the high standards of the HUD code.

Manufactured homes and manufactured housing communities are far more green and eco friendly than site-built communities. Manufactured home construction uses fewer materials without compromising the home’s safety or structure. Key heating, cooling and utility components of manufactured homes are energy-efficient.

Further, because manufactured homes are built in a factory and assembled on site, the environmental impact of transportation of the home is magnitudes less than the impact of the moving raw materials to the site to construct a home.